For over 4,000 students the Ithaca College campus is home, and for 2,000 more students who live off campus it is still a nearly full-time home. And because for nearly all students this is the first home they have had outside their family homes, and the first they themselves have chosen, it is a home that will always have a special place in their hearts.

Last week I had the opportunity to meet with firms seeking to become consultant to the college as we develop a new master plan that will guide campus development over the next twenty years. Listening to their presentations, I was struck by the number of aspects of physical space that enable a home to make its way into one’s heart.

Some elements of how the physical space pulls at the heartstrings are standard for everyone. There is the “picture postcard view” – the one you send to your aunts and uncles when you choose Ithaca College, and the one you will eventually pose in front of wearing your graduation robe. At IC we have a spectacular...

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For over 4,000 students the Ithaca College campus is home, and for 2,000 more students who live off campus it is still a nearly full-time home. And because for nearly all students this is the first home they have had outside their family homes, and the first they themselves have chosen, it is a home that will always have a special place in their hearts.

Last week I had the opportunity to meet with firms seeking to become consultant to the college as we develop a new master plan that will guide campus development over the next twenty years. Listening to their presentations, I was struck by the number of aspects of physical space that enable a home to make its way into one’s heart.

Some elements of how the physical space pulls at the heartstrings are standard for everyone. There is the “picture postcard view” – the one you send to your aunts and uncles when you choose Ithaca College, and the one you will eventually pose in front of wearing your graduation robe. At IC we have a spectacular...

Stahnke, a sophomore Cinema and Photography student in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, served as a Junior Fellow for the 17th Annual Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival last year. Though Sam speaks enthusiastically about his first encounter with the festival, he said he also encountered many collisions in the festival programming: he was constantly torn between films and events that occupied the same timeslot. Ultimately, he reflects, he did not see as much as he would have liked to.

But this year, Sam is contributing to the festival as a blogger. Though he says he is "not used to journalistic work," Sam is excited to expand upon his experience from last year by engaging more critically and intellectually in his blog posts.

Additionally, as a critical and remarkably self-aware Cinema and Photography student, Sam notes...

Stahnke, a sophomore Cinema and Photography student in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, served as a Junior Fellow for the 17th Annual Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival last year. Though Sam speaks enthusiastically about his first encounter with the festival, he said he also encountered many collisions in the festival programming: he was constantly torn between films and events that occupied the same timeslot. Ultimately, he reflects, he did not see as much as he would have liked to.

But this year, Sam is contributing to the festival as a blogger. Though he says he is "not used to journalistic work," Sam is excited to expand upon his experience from last year by engaging more critically and intellectually in his blog posts.

Additionally, as a critical and remarkably self-aware Cinema and Photography student, Sam notes...

“The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places it was burned. There were black crumbs and pepper, streaked across the redness.”

The sky is not often compared to soup, but in The Book Thief, Markus Zusak does just that. It is one of the metaphors that make his writing so unique, but also one of the reasons that his writing inspires Cindy Yong, one of this year’s FLEFF bloggers.

Her love of metaphors stems from the ability to "take two completely different things and put them together" in order to create new meaning, something she finds enthralling. In Cindy's case, opposites...

“The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places it was burned. There were black crumbs and pepper, streaked across the redness.”

The sky is not often compared to soup, but in The Book Thief, Markus Zusak does just that. It is one of the metaphors that make his writing so unique, but also one of the reasons that his writing inspires Cindy Yong, one of this year’s FLEFF bloggers.

Her love of metaphors stems from the ability to "take two completely different things and put them together" in order to create new meaning, something she finds enthralling. In Cindy's case, opposites...

It’s dark. You’re inching yourself along a narrow passageway, each step conjuring an echo throughout the endless barriers of stone. The only thing keeping the cave from swallowing you into its dark abyss is the small, florescent flashlight that’s strapped to your head.

Eventually the floor flattens out and you feel your surroundings expanding into a wider space. As you straighten your posture, your headlamp follows every movement, illuminating different snapshots of the space. You take it all in, the scattering of ancient pottery, the placement of decomposed skeletons.

You’ve finally made it. You have entered the ritualistic grounds of a Mayan cavern.

This is a just a snapshot of what sophomore Hannah Basciano experienced last winter break when she explored the tropical terrains...

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Imagine that you are adventuring through a cave.

It’s dark. You’re inching yourself along a narrow passageway, each step conjuring an echo throughout the endless barriers of stone. The only thing keeping the cave from swallowing you into its dark abyss is the small, florescent flashlight that’s strapped to your head.

Eventually the floor flattens out and you feel your surroundings expanding into a wider space. As you straighten your posture, your headlamp follows every movement, illuminating different snapshots of the space. You take it all in, the scattering of ancient pottery, the placement of decomposed skeletons.

You’ve finally made it. You have entered the ritualistic grounds of a Mayan cavern.

This is a just a snapshot of what sophomore Hannah Basciano experienced last winter break when she explored the tropical terrains...

Kaley Belval speaks easily and articulately. This is her fourth year at Ithaca College and FLEFF.

As a Documentary Studies major she rode with the South Texas Border Volunteers. The Volunteers are a private group who aim to catch immigrants from Mexico.

The conversations en-route were riddled with opinions on immigration that Kaley disagreed with. For instance, Dr. Mike Vickers - who led the patrol - argued against any immigration from Mexico and pushed for deportation.

Kaley Belval speaks easily and articulately. This is her fourth year at Ithaca College and FLEFF.

As a Documentary Studies major she rode with the South Texas Border Volunteers. The Volunteers are a private group who aim to catch immigrants from Mexico.

The conversations en-route were riddled with opinions on immigration that Kaley disagreed with. For instance, Dr. Mike Vickers - who led the patrol - argued against any immigration from Mexico and pushed for deportation.

Women voters have been targeted in British parliamentary elections since 1918, after women over the age of 30 were enfranchised, and, more actively, since 1929, after the voting age for women was lowered to 21 the previous year. In fact, the 1929 election is known as "The Flapper Election." In that year, a poster showed Labour leader James Ramsay MacDonald with a young woman dressed as a flapper. Another 1929 Labour Party poster illustrated both men and women workers lining up at a polling place, with a closed factory nearby.

Soon, however, most British posters showed women in more traditional roles. For example, a poster in the 1930s showed a woman holding a child, with the appeal “Mothers—Vote Labour” and a Conservative Party poster in that decade depicted an elderly woman, above the statement, “We must think of our savings and our home. That’s why I’m voting for the National Government” (in which the Conservatives would be dominant).

Women with their...

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Women voters have been targeted in British parliamentary elections since 1918, after women over the age of 30 were enfranchised, and, more actively, since 1929, after the voting age for women was lowered to 21 the previous year. In fact, the 1929 election is known as "The Flapper Election." In that year, a poster showed Labour leader James Ramsay MacDonald with a young woman dressed as a flapper. Another 1929 Labour Party poster illustrated both men and women workers lining up at a polling place, with a closed factory nearby.

Soon, however, most British posters showed women in more traditional roles. For example, a poster in the 1930s showed a woman holding a child, with the appeal “Mothers—Vote Labour” and a Conservative Party poster in that decade depicted an elderly woman, above the statement, “We must think of our savings and our home. That’s why I’m voting for the National Government” (in which the Conservatives would be dominant).

Prepared to engage with fellow bloggers, locals, and FLEFF guests alike, her enthusiasm is palpable.

Seeing her confident and eager smile as she speaks about the festival, one would never guess that she’s a rookie in the FLEFF world. Her only exposure, and ultimate inspiration to become involved in the festival, was a Participatory Cultures course taken with FLEFF’s own Dr. Patricia Zimmermann. The class viewed films from FLEFF past, in an experience that can only be described as pivotal for Beaule:

“We saw all of these international films, and learned so much about other places we don’t normally pay attention to.”

Prepared to engage with fellow bloggers, locals, and FLEFF guests alike, her enthusiasm is palpable.

Seeing her confident and eager smile as she speaks about the festival, one would never guess that she’s a rookie in the FLEFF world. Her only exposure, and ultimate inspiration to become involved in the festival, was a Participatory Cultures course taken with FLEFF’s own Dr. Patricia Zimmermann. The class viewed films from FLEFF past, in an experience that can only be described as pivotal for Beaule:

“We saw all of these international films, and learned so much about other places we don’t normally pay attention to.”

After a few weeks of immersion into FLEFF and the film festival culture, there are many tidbits of knowledge that have resonated with me. My top five are the following:

Preparations

As a Communications major, I was deeply intrigued when FLEFF staffer, Jenny Stockdale, spoke to our blogging team about FLEFF’s marketing strategies. She emphasized the importance of consistency throughout FLEFFs promotions, advertisements, and international outreach. Although her efforts are behind the scenes, they are all very important to the success of the festival.

Film Distribution

Although I had never thought about film distribution in the past, this component of FLEFF is something that I value very much now. After speaking...

After a few weeks of immersion into FLEFF and the film festival culture, there are many tidbits of knowledge that have resonated with me. My top five are the following:

Preparations

As a Communications major, I was deeply intrigued when FLEFF staffer, Jenny Stockdale, spoke to our blogging team about FLEFF’s marketing strategies. She emphasized the importance of consistency throughout FLEFFs promotions, advertisements, and international outreach. Although her efforts are behind the scenes, they are all very important to the success of the festival.

Film Distribution

Although I had never thought about film distribution in the past, this component of FLEFF is something that I value very much now. After speaking...

Film festivals are places of interaction, whether between clients and consumers, filmmakers and narratives, or between the audience members themselves. Each festival has its position in the context of its creation. Some were created to host deals while others were national efforts to promote local art.

So where does FLEFF stand in this spectrum?

FLEFF is a thematic festival dedicated to education.

In addition to hosting films from all over the world, which expose local audiences to new forms of cultural understanding, FLEFF has renowned concerts, book launches, sought after lectures, theatrical performances, and most importantly:...

Film festivals are places of interaction, whether between clients and consumers, filmmakers and narratives, or between the audience members themselves. Each festival has its position in the context of its creation. Some were created to host deals while others were national efforts to promote local art.

So where does FLEFF stand in this spectrum?

FLEFF is a thematic festival dedicated to education.

In addition to hosting films from all over the world, which expose local audiences to new forms of cultural understanding, FLEFF has renowned concerts, book launches, sought after lectures, theatrical performances, and most importantly:...

Japanese voters go to the polls on December 14 to elect members of the Lower House of Representatives.

Unique "luminous" posters are going up. They are printed with a technology that allows the poster's paint to "store light during the daytime and illuminates for a few hours after dark," according to The Japan Times. There are also posters that reflect automobile headlights.

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Japanese voters go to the polls on December 14 to elect members of the Lower House of Representatives.

Unique "luminous" posters are going up. They are printed with a technology that allows the poster's paint to "store light during the daytime and illuminates for a few hours after dark," according to The Japan Times. There are also posters that reflect automobile headlights.

Every year at this time I think of that line spoken by Gene Wilder as Dr. Frankenstein in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein. The Ithaca College campus, like the creature stitched together by Dr. Frankenstein, miraculously comes alive in the middle of August. The first twitches occur when the fall season athletes and the RAs arrive on campus, and then the whole body comes to life when students arrive with their families to take up residence on move-in day. Fortunately our annual experiment ends better than Dr. Frankenstein’s creation! The IC campus will soon be the place that each new and returning student calls home.

I can only imagine the anticipation each student is feeling as they pack their suitcases with their final items and spend the last nights of summer with high school friends, each of them contemplating what is to come in their next chapter. The question that looms over most students as they enter college is, “who am I going to meet and who will my friends be?”

Each entering class has special traits that increase our anticipation...

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It’s aliiiive!!

Every year at this time I think of that line spoken by Gene Wilder as Dr. Frankenstein in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein. The Ithaca College campus, like the creature stitched together by Dr. Frankenstein, miraculously comes alive in the middle of August. The first twitches occur when the fall season athletes and the RAs arrive on campus, and then the whole body comes to life when students arrive with their families to take up residence on move-in day. Fortunately our annual experiment ends better than Dr. Frankenstein’s creation! The IC campus will soon be the place that each new and returning student calls home.

I can only imagine the anticipation each student is feeling as they pack their suitcases with their final items and spend the last nights of summer with high school friends, each of them contemplating what is to come in their next chapter. The question that looms over most students as they enter college is, “who am I going to meet and who will my friends be?”

Each entering class has special traits that increase our anticipation...

]]>Thomas RochonMon, 18 Aug 2014 01:12:47 GMTCampaigns For and Against Independence for Scotlandhttp://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/programs/cmd/blogs/posters_and_election_propaganda/campaigns_for_and_against_independence_for_scotlan/http://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/programs/cmd/blogs/posters_and_election_propaganda/campaigns_for_and_against_independence_for_scotlan/

The referendum on whether or not Scotland will be an independent country will take place on September 18, 2014.

Heated campaigns have been going on for months, both for and against independence from the United Kingdom, with Web sites, videos, and posters produced.

There are almost 100 Green political parties around the world. They have similar platforms, which frequently call for environmentalism, social justice, and non-nuclear energy.

The Greens have achieved some electoral successes in a number of countries, winning parliamentary seats in Australia, New Zealand, and several European nations. In the 2013 German elections, for example, the Greens received more than 8% of the vote, gaining 63 of the 631 seats in the Bundestag. In the United States, the Green Party's national ticket of Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala won less than 500,000 votes (about 0.5%) in 2012.

The logos of the Green parties are, of course, mainly green in color, and include a small number of symbols. The U.S. Green Party's logo has a globe inside a flower, as does that of England and many other green parties also incorporate a flower, including those in Portugal, Greece, and the Czech Republic. Other Green parties (in Latvia and Somalia, for instance) have a tree as the dominant...

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There are almost 100 Green political parties around the world. They have similar platforms, which frequently call for environmentalism, social justice, and non-nuclear energy.

The Greens have achieved some electoral successes in a number of countries, winning parliamentary seats in Australia, New Zealand, and several European nations. In the 2013 German elections, for example, the Greens received more than 8% of the vote, gaining 63 of the 631 seats in the Bundestag. In the United States, the Green Party's national ticket of Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala won less than 500,000 votes (about 0.5%) in 2012.

The logos of the Green parties are, of course, mainly green in color, and include a small number of symbols. The U.S. Green Party's logo has a globe inside a flower, as does that of England and many other green parties also incorporate a flower, including those in Portugal, Greece, and the Czech Republic. Other Green parties (in Latvia and Somalia, for instance) have a tree as the dominant...

Chile's presidential election takes place in about three weeks; U.S. voters go to the polls in about three years. One thing both countries have in common is that two women—both known by their first names (seen on their posters) are favored to become president, at present.

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet ("Michelle" on some posters) is a Socialist, who heads a seven-party coalition called "New Majority." She is the daughter of a general tortured and killed by the Pinochet dictatorship. Bachelet was the first woman to hold the office of president in Chile, when she won a runoff election in 2005. She could not run for reelection, since presidents cannot hold office for consecutive terms.

Chile's presidential election takes place in about three weeks; U.S. voters go to the polls in about three years. One thing both countries have in common is that two women—both known by their first names (seen on their posters) are favored to become president, at present.

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet ("Michelle" on some posters) is a Socialist, who heads a seven-party coalition called "New Majority." She is the daughter of a general tortured and killed by the Pinochet dictatorship. Bachelet was the first woman to hold the office of president in Chile, when she won a runoff election in 2005. She could not run for reelection, since presidents cannot hold office for consecutive terms.

The logos of today's political parties in many countries have become bland corporate identity pieces, similar to those of Sony, Panasonic, and RCA.

The German ones are particularly uninspired, with only one (Alliance 90/The Greens) adding a visual to the initials displayed.

In other countries, visuals accompany the names of the parties. For example, the British Labour Party includes a socialist rose; the U.S. Republican Party incorporates an elephant; and the Workers Party of Ireland shows a handshake.

Alliance 90/The Greens: a yellow sunflower on a green background, with the parties' names in white

The Left: black letters on a gray background, with a red triangle...

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The logos of today's political parties in many countries have become bland corporate identity pieces, similar to those of Sony, Panasonic, and RCA.

The German ones are particularly uninspired, with only one (Alliance 90/The Greens) adding a visual to the initials displayed.

In other countries, visuals accompany the names of the parties. For example, the British Labour Party includes a socialist rose; the U.S. Republican Party incorporates an elephant; and the Workers Party of Ireland shows a handshake.

Which are the two best posters from U.S. presidential election campaigns (excluding ones for the primaries)?

My criteria: artfulness, effective messaging, and overall design.

Here are my selections:

1. Unknown Artist, Poster of Republican William McKinley, holding a U.S. flag and standing on a gold coin (symbolizing "sound money"), held up by group of men, in front of ships (for "commerce") and factories (for "civilization"), ca. 1896-1900. This beautiful color lithograph targeted both businessmen and laborers, as well as associating the candidate with both symbols of patriotism and fiscal soundness. In the background, the Sun rises, with its rays enhancing the positiveness of the message.

2. Rafael López, "Estamos Unidos" ("We are United"), Poster for Artists for Obama, 2012. This gorgeous poster features a layered oil painting, with the candidate gazing thoughtfully into the distance and shown from below (a common pose, which...

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Which are the two best posters from U.S. presidential election campaigns (excluding ones for the primaries)?

My criteria: artfulness, effective messaging, and overall design.

Here are my selections:

1. Unknown Artist, Poster of Republican William McKinley, holding a U.S. flag and standing on a gold coin (symbolizing "sound money"), held up by group of men, in front of ships (for "commerce") and factories (for "civilization"), ca. 1896-1900. This beautiful color lithograph targeted both businessmen and laborers, as well as associating the candidate with both symbols of patriotism and fiscal soundness. In the background, the Sun rises, with its rays enhancing the positiveness of the message.

2. Rafael López, "Estamos Unidos" ("We are United"), Poster for Artists for Obama, 2012. This gorgeous poster features a layered oil painting, with the candidate gazing thoughtfully into the distance and shown from below (a common pose, which...

Posters (actually broadsides, initially) have been displayed in Great Britain since the late 1600s. They became indispensable during election periods in Great Britain in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when many more people were enfranchised, especially after the Labour Party was established in 1906.

The BBC has assembled a group of posters, shown to "illustrate David Lloyd George's political fame ad notoriety," put together on the 150th anniversary of George's birth. The posters range from 1910 to 1929—a period when posters were the paramount medium of political propaganda, and when they were often highly imaginative and printed in eye-catching colors from lithographic stones. Click here to see the posters.

George's Liberal Party regained power in 1906. The Liberals "rebranded" their party as one that was more in favor of social reform, and "New Liberals" such as George advocated for legislation to protect and help...

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Posters (actually broadsides, initially) have been displayed in Great Britain since the late 1600s. They became indispensable during election periods in Great Britain in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when many more people were enfranchised, especially after the Labour Party was established in 1906.

The BBC has assembled a group of posters, shown to "illustrate David Lloyd George's political fame ad notoriety," put together on the 150th anniversary of George's birth. The posters range from 1910 to 1929—a period when posters were the paramount medium of political propaganda, and when they were often highly imaginative and printed in eye-catching colors from lithographic stones. Click here to see the posters.

George's Liberal Party regained power in 1906. The Liberals "rebranded" their party as one that was more in favor of social reform, and "New Liberals" such as George advocated for legislation to protect and help...

Over the last three weeks I have described some of the challenges related to cost and quality that we face at Ithaca College. I am certain we will be able to meet these challenges because our campus community has great clarity on what makes us special and on where we need to improve. We are also committed to being accessible to all students of talent, which means that we will find a way to bend the cost curve so that IC can be a leader in combining excellence with affordability.

I want in this final message of the semester to focus on the opportunity in front of us. Our greatest opportunity lies in our educational mission to become the standard of excellence for residential comprehensive colleges. We take justifiable pride in our commitment to offer a blend of liberal arts and professional education that creates a transformative experience for every student.

We should never forget the profound impact our educational community has on students. To take just one example, I have gotten to know a senior named Perri Rumstein. Perri almost didn’t come to...

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Over the last three weeks I have described some of the challenges related to cost and quality that we face at Ithaca College. I am certain we will be able to meet these challenges because our campus community has great clarity on what makes us special and on where we need to improve. We are also committed to being accessible to all students of talent, which means that we will find a way to bend the cost curve so that IC can be a leader in combining excellence with affordability.

I want in this final message of the semester to focus on the opportunity in front of us. Our greatest opportunity lies in our educational mission to become the standard of excellence for residential comprehensive colleges. We take justifiable pride in our commitment to offer a blend of liberal arts and professional education that creates a transformative experience for every student.

We should never forget the profound impact our educational community has on students. To take just one example, I have gotten to know a senior named Perri Rumstein. Perri almost didn’t come to...

]]>Thomas RochonMon, 10 Dec 2012 16:00:00 GMTThe Challenge Before Us, part 3 on Costhttp://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/the_challenge_before_us,_part_3_on_cost/http://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/the_challenge_before_us,_part_3_on_cost/Our focus at Ithaca College is on increasing our VALUE to students. Given IC’s standing as one of the best student-centered learning environments in the country but also as a relatively expensive higher education option, it is my opinion that we must be focused on both parts of the value equation at this time: increasing quality while also controlling cost.

Having discussed last week what constitutes quality and how we are seeking to go from good to great in quality at IC, I would like this week to focus on the matter of cost.

As Professor Elia Kacapyr pointed out in a comment posted on my blog two weeks ago, the cost of attendance at Ithaca College has increased at 3.58 times the rate of inflation since 1983. His calculation does not take into account financial aid that is provided through the college; when you consider such aid our final cost to students has risen at “only” a bit more than twice the rate of inflation. Cumulated over decades, though, that is still a big disparity! Even more relevant is the comparison of the...

]]>Our focus at Ithaca College is on increasing our VALUE to students. Given IC’s standing as one of the best student-centered learning environments in the country but also as a relatively expensive higher education option, it is my opinion that we must be focused on both parts of the value equation at this time: increasing quality while also controlling cost.

Having discussed last week what constitutes quality and how we are seeking to go from good to great in quality at IC, I would like this week to focus on the matter of cost.

As Professor Elia Kacapyr pointed out in a comment posted on my blog two weeks ago, the cost of attendance at Ithaca College has increased at 3.58 times the rate of inflation since 1983. His calculation does not take into account financial aid that is provided through the college; when you consider such aid our final cost to students has risen at “only” a bit more than twice the rate of inflation. Cumulated over decades, though, that is still a big disparity! Even more relevant is the comparison of the...

]]>Thomas RochonMon, 03 Dec 2012 14:30:00 GMTThe Challenge Before Us, part 2: Increasing Qualityhttp://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/the_challenge_before_us,_part_2:__increasing_quali/http://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/the_challenge_before_us,_part_2:__increasing_quali/Last week I summarized the challenge for Ithaca College to continue to attract high quality students who can benefit from the educational experience we offer. In brief, there are more options for higher education today than ever before and most of them cost less than IC. In addition, every year the cost of IC becomes unaffordable for a larger fraction of families. For us to succeed in that environment, we must focus on increasing our VALUE to students. Value = Quality / Cost, which means that to increase value we must increase quality while at the same time slowing the growth of our costs relative to competitors.

This week I want to focus on the QUALITY part of the Value equation; we will take a closer look at Cost next week.

Increasing quality is a more complex task than is decreasing cost. Everyone knows that less expensive is better than more expensive, but there are differences of opinion as to what quality means in a college education. Our understanding of quality at Ithaca College derives from our educational mission, which is to provide a foundation for life-long learning following three principles: “that knowledge is acquired through...

]]>Last week I summarized the challenge for Ithaca College to continue to attract high quality students who can benefit from the educational experience we offer. In brief, there are more options for higher education today than ever before and most of them cost less than IC. In addition, every year the cost of IC becomes unaffordable for a larger fraction of families. For us to succeed in that environment, we must focus on increasing our VALUE to students. Value = Quality / Cost, which means that to increase value we must increase quality while at the same time slowing the growth of our costs relative to competitors.

This week I want to focus on the QUALITY part of the Value equation; we will take a closer look at Cost next week.

Increasing quality is a more complex task than is decreasing cost. Everyone knows that less expensive is better than more expensive, but there are differences of opinion as to what quality means in a college education. Our understanding of quality at Ithaca College derives from our educational mission, which is to provide a foundation for life-long learning following three principles: “that knowledge is acquired through...

This is a time of rapid change at IC and in higher education generally. We have entered a period in which we are challenged to operate differently in order to continue to flourish. As a result, there is a great deal going on right now, including IC 20/20 implementation as well as the Effectiveness and Affordability Review that we are conducting with the assistance of Huron Education. The challenges are serious. If we respond to these challenges with vision and determination, however, we have an opportunity to create an Ithaca College that is not only financially sound but also better and more respected than ever.

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This is a time of rapid change at IC and in higher education generally. We have entered a period in which we are challenged to operate differently in order to continue to flourish. As a result, there is a great deal going on right now, including IC 20/20 implementation as well as the Effectiveness and Affordability Review that we are conducting with the assistance of Huron Education. The challenges are serious. If we respond to these challenges with vision and determination, however, we have an opportunity to create an Ithaca College that is not only financially sound but also better and more respected than ever.

The Ithaca College Chemistry Department has more than five hundred graduates, some of whom are today among the most respected leaders in their field. Its faculty care so much about their students that years later they can recount stories about light-hearted moments or intellectual breakthroughs in the lab. The department’s alumni care so much about the faculty, in turn, that they travel to Ithaca years later to give testimony about their mentors.

This tradition of excellence in the Chemistry Department has developed over 50 years. It is marked by such signposts as the over 50,000 cumulative hours of student research undertaken in the lab, and the more than 200 students who have presented their research at regional, national and international conferences. That represents over 40% of all graduates of the department who have had the opportunity to undertake original research and present it at conferences; a rate that is even higher among recent graduates.

Mike Haaf, an associate professor in the department, was recently recognized by Princeton Review...

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The Ithaca College Chemistry Department has more than five hundred graduates, some of whom are today among the most respected leaders in their field. Its faculty care so much about their students that years later they can recount stories about light-hearted moments or intellectual breakthroughs in the lab. The department’s alumni care so much about the faculty, in turn, that they travel to Ithaca years later to give testimony about their mentors.

This tradition of excellence in the Chemistry Department has developed over 50 years. It is marked by such signposts as the over 50,000 cumulative hours of student research undertaken in the lab, and the more than 200 students who have presented their research at regional, national and international conferences. That represents over 40% of all graduates of the department who have had the opportunity to undertake original research and present it at conferences; a rate that is even higher among recent graduates.

Mike Haaf, an associate professor in the department, was recently recognized by Princeton Review...

]]>Thomas RochonThu, 18 Oct 2012 12:39:13 GMTDesign for Obama: New Posters for the Re-election of the Presidenthttp://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/programs/cmd/blogs/posters_and_election_propaganda/design_for_obama:_new_posters_for_the_re-election_/http://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/programs/cmd/blogs/posters_and_election_propaganda/design_for_obama:_new_posters_for_the_re-election_/

Design for Obama—a Web site started in 2008 to promote Barack Obama's campaign for the U.S. presidency—is up again.

The site was created "as a dorm-room experiment to create a space for artists to function as artists in the political process and help elect Barack Obama," according to the creators.

Dozens of high-resolution posters (one of which can be seen to the right) have been contributed, to be printed and displayed at rallies and anywhere that people want to show support for Obama. Gallery shows will follow.

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Design for Obama—a Web site started in 2008 to promote Barack Obama's campaign for the U.S. presidency—is up again.

The site was created "as a dorm-room experiment to create a space for artists to function as artists in the political process and help elect Barack Obama," according to the creators.

Dozens of high-resolution posters (one of which can be seen to the right) have been contributed, to be printed and displayed at rallies and anywhere that people want to show support for Obama. Gallery shows will follow.

In 2008, Rafael López created a powerful poster for the Barack Obama for President campaign. His poster, "Voz Unida" ("United Voice"), was one of ten posters designed for the campaign's Artists for Obama series. The 1000 prints of López's poster sold for $60 each. Some of the other artists in the series were Robert Indiana, Shepard Fairey, Scott Hansen, and Lou Stoval. The style of "Voz Unida"—showing a blue-tinted Obama surrounded by red, yellow, brown, and orange tones—was calculated to appeal to Latino voters, among others.

This year, López designed a new poster, "Estamos Unidos" ("We are United") (seen at the right). He was inspired to do so, he said, because of President Obama's support for "early education programs for children" and because he "has doubled Pell Grants so working families can afford college." Also, according to López, Obama's...

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In 2008, Rafael López created a powerful poster for the Barack Obama for President campaign. His poster, "Voz Unida" ("United Voice"), was one of ten posters designed for the campaign's Artists for Obama series. The 1000 prints of López's poster sold for $60 each. Some of the other artists in the series were Robert Indiana, Shepard Fairey, Scott Hansen, and Lou Stoval. The style of "Voz Unida"—showing a blue-tinted Obama surrounded by red, yellow, brown, and orange tones—was calculated to appeal to Latino voters, among others.

This year, López designed a new poster, "Estamos Unidos" ("We are United") (seen at the right). He was inspired to do so, he said, because of President Obama's support for "early education programs for children" and because he "has doubled Pell Grants so working families can afford college." Also, according to López, Obama's...

]]>Steven SeidmanMon, 20 Aug 2012 22:26:57 GMTBusting out of Class and into the IC Learning Communityhttp://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/busting_out_of_class_and_into_the_ic_learning_comm/http://www.ithaca.edu/president/blogs/presidents_reflections/busting_out_of_class_and_into_the_ic_learning_comm/

Well we busted out of class,

Had to get away from those fools.

We learned more from a three minute record, baby

Than we ever learned in school.

I believe, like many people, that Bruce Springsteen is the greatest lyricist of his generation. He can pour more truth into a three minute record than anyone else I know.

This particular verse, however, hurts my educator's heart. Can it be that we sometimes fail so badly to offer what students want and need that they are better served learning from song lyrics than from the teachers that Springsteen calls fools?

When I consider the situation more dispassionately, I realize I am being too sensitive. The classroom is a vital place of learning but it is not and can never be the venue for learning everything necessary to a happy and successful life. I remember listening intently to song lyrics as an...

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Well we busted out of class,

Had to get away from those fools.

We learned more from a three minute record, baby

Than we ever learned in school.

I believe, like many people, that Bruce Springsteen is the greatest lyricist of his generation. He can pour more truth into a three minute record than anyone else I know.

This particular verse, however, hurts my educator's heart. Can it be that we sometimes fail so badly to offer what students want and need that they are better served learning from song lyrics than from the teachers that Springsteen calls fools?

When I consider the situation more dispassionately, I realize I am being too sensitive. The classroom is a vital place of learning but it is not and can never be the venue for learning everything necessary to a happy and successful life. I remember listening intently to song lyrics as an...

The 2011-2012 school year comes to an end this Sunday with a commencement at which approximately 1600 students will receive their degrees. Looking back over the nine months of this academic year, I am reminded that are six thousand stories in the IC student body. Here are four of them.

Freshman Noreyana Fernando won a 2012 South Asian Journalists Association Student scholarship that provides a summer internship in Washington, D.C. There are just five of these awards given each year, and the others went to students from Harvard, Brown, UCLA and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. How did Noreyana come to the attention of the award committee? During her freshman year Noreyana wrote for the Ithacan (recently named the best weekly college newspaper in the country), reported news on ICTV, and served as assistant news director at our radio station WICB. "Hands on from day 1" is part of our teaching philosophy, and Noreyana has taken full advantage of that approach. Others have noticed.

Sophomore...

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The 2011-2012 school year comes to an end this Sunday with a commencement at which approximately 1600 students will receive their degrees. Looking back over the nine months of this academic year, I am reminded that are six thousand stories in the IC student body. Here are four of them.

Freshman Noreyana Fernando won a 2012 South Asian Journalists Association Student scholarship that provides a summer internship in Washington, D.C. There are just five of these awards given each year, and the others went to students from Harvard, Brown, UCLA and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. How did Noreyana come to the attention of the award committee? During her freshman year Noreyana wrote for the Ithacan (recently named the best weekly college newspaper in the country), reported news on ICTV, and served as assistant news director at our radio station WICB. "Hands on from day 1" is part of our teaching philosophy, and Noreyana has taken full advantage of that approach. Others have noticed.

The transition to college is one of life’s major events. Like the first day of kindergarten and the birth of one’s child, the first few weeks of college are one of those times people tend to remember for the rest of their lives. You encounter new expectations, new freedoms and new friends, all of which add up to a rare opportunity to reinvent yourself. You must also cope with nervousness that your self-reinvention in this new environment might not be successful. What if college is too hard? What if you don’t fit in?

Now imagine that your first week of college takes place in a foreign country. Not only are you not being served your mother’s cooking, but it is not even your native cuisine. Not only do you have to make new friends, but you must do so in a culture and a language that are not your own. You have an opportunity to reinvent yourself, but to many people your primary identity will remain “that student from another country.”

It was with those thoughts that I had lunch...

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The transition to college is one of life’s major events. Like the first day of kindergarten and the birth of one’s child, the first few weeks of college are one of those times people tend to remember for the rest of their lives. You encounter new expectations, new freedoms and new friends, all of which add up to a rare opportunity to reinvent yourself. You must also cope with nervousness that your self-reinvention in this new environment might not be successful. What if college is too hard? What if you don’t fit in?

Now imagine that your first week of college takes place in a foreign country. Not only are you not being served your mother’s cooking, but it is not even your native cuisine. Not only do you have to make new friends, but you must do so in a culture and a language that are not your own. You have an opportunity to reinvent yourself, but to many people your primary identity will remain “that student from another country.”